The $1.8 million blanket

By Ray Lyall

On Wednesday June 4th Mayor Michael Hancock introduced BR14-0440 at the Government and Finance subcommittee. For a special allocation for more police officers in downtown areas and expected incarceration costs.

I have some very serious issues concerning the Mayors budget request of $1.8million to the Denver city council to increase cops in the three so called “hot spots” of Downtown, Lodo and Ballpark

These increased demands would seem to suggest that the “issues” are connected with the HOMELESS alone and have little or nothing to do with the local businesses, Ballpark residents, kids in the area, patrons of establishments in the area, the general public and/or the rapid growth of Lodo, downtown and Ballpark over the past four years.

The Denver Post.
“Because of the rapid growth that we’ve had (downtown) we haven’t been able to stay ahead of what we need”
Council woman Judy Montero

and

“Burgeoning growth”
Mayor Michael Hancock

One more time.
“increased demands”.
Something has increased. More people? More building? More businesses? No not at all. There’s just more HOMELESS people.

Now, It’s my understanding that approximately half of this budget will be spent on an additional ten cops in district 6 and, that the remainder of the $1.8 million will go to “cover an anticipated increase in arrests and detention costs.” specifically 330 detainees. how do they know that? Are they only going to arrest 330 individuals? what if there are 332 crimes committed downtown next year?
Chief White at the government and finance meeting that the police would give warnings and hand out citations before arresting people. So, where does the 330 come from and what’s the additional $900.000 for? if there are no detainees to detain.

It’s pretty clear to me, That this is just a blanket (pun intended) to give the Denver police another means to arrest more of the HOMELESS. So, as long as I don’t smoke pot, I don’t do what I can to get a buck, I don’t urinate or I don’t sleep, I ll be able to live and thrive with an over whelming Quality Of Life. I guess I should say Thank You to Ballpark, Denver Downtown Partnership and all the other fine people concerned with my well being.

Now, I’m not strictly opposed to more cops downtown, or in Lodo or even in the Ballpark neighborhood. More people simply means more problems.
On Monday June 2 at approximately 2:30 am, while three people were getting hamburgers, a triple shooting occurred.

BTW There’s no fast food places at all in this area of Council district 9.

Let’s look at some of the “long standing problems” that the Denver post seems to suggest that the Mayor and his office and the city council believe are “connected to the HOMELESS”
Oh wait, there are no specific mentions of any problems. Maybe they mean more beds, jobs and rest rooms. Those are some” long standing problems connected to the HOMELESS.
Although the article in the post doesn’t mention any specific problems. At the government and finance committee it was made all to clear. The issues specifically mentioned were public pot smoking, panhandling and public urination. These are pretty specific issues aimed at a pretty specific group of people (HOMELESS) in order to pacify another specific group of people. (Some people living in the Ballpark neighborhood ) Say it with me, Dis-Crim-In-Ation.

And now to consider these serious issues with the appropriate respect.
let’s start with the last issue, being that it’s not a favorite subject.
Public Urination.
Can I just state the obvious here? If You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go!! It happens to all of us. Sometimes there is either no place to go or they are all locked tight. Try this, google. ” peeing in public”. no, really go ahead I’ll wait…….there’s a lot of videos right?
My point is, if you’ve just left an establishment after drinking a few beers with your friends at 2:00 am and find you have to go. You,re going to find a place to go. I’m sure some of you are blushing right about now. Show of hands please.
I’ll be honest. I’ve done it. A few blocks from the stadium. back when I was an Insider. (One who lives in a home.) They just can’t all be HOMELESS.
And just what happened to all those Portapots on and around the Platte?
So, while the city is working on getting us some public rest rooms this week. they might want to think about some of those nice trash cans also.
Next up Panhandling.
Panhandling is to ask strangers for money in a public place. And here’s a real shocker. Hey Denver Downtown Partnership, Pay attention. Not all panhandlers are HOMELESS. The Northeast Ohio coalition for the HOMELESS estimates that only 40%–60% of panhandlers are HOMELESS. Then there are the Green Peace people and the save the rain forest people and the save the tigers people and the save a tree kill a lumber jack people and………Well, You get the point. They,re just not all HOMELESS.
BTW The money that those strangers give to the panhandlers does not get sent off to our secret HOMELESS people bank. That money goes right back into the community. Whether it’s spent on sandwiches, cigarettes or booze. the money gets spent here in local stores.

I saved the best for last.
Public Pot Smoking
I need to confess, I don’t smoke pot, No really, I don’t…No Really!! Public pot smoking is a bad idea. but, drinking ten beers at a Rockies game and driving the kids home is a bad idea. Drinking ten beers at a Broncos game and driving your buddies home is a bad idea. Drinking alcohol until 2:00 am is a bad idea. And apparently buying hamburgers at 2:30 am in police district 6 in Denver is a Really Bad Idea. Its not just some of the HOMELESS with a bad idea.

Then there’s the $56.00 a day in jail costs. I certainly don’t have that kind of money!
that’s ok the Denver tax payers will pick up the tab. But not the rich folks.
They just get to make the rules

Oh and btw if you happen to have an extra $100.000 laying around you can buy your own police force. just ask the Downtown Denver Partnership.
That’s right Denver Downtown Partnership gave the Denver Police Department $100.000 to add a cop every block Downtown.